**Author details**

touches lightly on the fundamental and basic physics underlining major nuclear reactions, i.e., nuclear fissions. In addition, the chapter shows different generations of nuclear reactors as important tools to harness energy resulting from nuclear reactions. Some of these reactors are relatively modern and hold great potentials for future nuclear technology. The second chapter comes with many figures and charts along with two appendices to point out many aspects of

In the third chapter, attention is to direct to another important field of nuclear science that is nuclear detectors. To be more precise, the third chapter addresses some recent advances related to the famous nuclear detector material namely CdTe. Maslyanchuk et al. [1], suggest that the modern detector based on CdTe materials can be developed as multielement detection platform that allows for the direct conversion of information generated by passing X/γradiations through an examined object into an array of digital electrical signals without using an intermediate visible image on a fluorescence screen. Such an approach will facilitate realtime visualization and sufficiently enhance image resolution. In the chapter, discussion on different aspects of the semiconductor nuclear detector based on CdTe material and Schottky effect shows progressive research into one of the modern nuclear detection devices that will

In the next chapter, a new study on the effect of unintended and accidental nuclear impact on the environment is discussed. Recently, Joji M. Otaki, from the department of chemistry, biology, and marine science at the faculty of science of the University of Ryukyus, Japan, has investigated the multifaceted biological effects from the tragic Fukushima nuclear accident caused by Mother Nature. Such study may help researchers to understand the correlation nature of lowdose exposure and field effects on the environment and may eventually lead to resolving the field-laboratory paradox on the environmental damage caused by the low-dose radiation. The study concluded that the "low-dose" exposure from the Fukushima nuclear accident imposed potentially non-negligible toxic effects on organisms including butterflies and humans through environment field effects. At the high-dose exposure, same field effects can exist, but would

In the last chapter, Thomas W. Grimshaw, from the University of Texas at Austin, USA, has composed an interesting study on the so-called cold nuclear fusion or as widely known the low-energy nuclear reaction (LENR). He, among others, argued that nuclear cold fusion if realized and understood could be a significant source of cheap and clean energy. When LENR was introduced to the scientific communities in early 1989, it was greatly dismissed by the mainstream scientists. However, as the chapter's author mentioned, despite such rejection of LENR concept, the research activities on the subject are growing by the time, and the matter of LENR is still alive and vibrant. According to many researchers around the world, there is accumulating evidence on the reality of LENR phenomena. Such advances on the LENR subject should encourage interested communities and potential stakeholders to come up with policymaking and regulations to facilitate the growing research endeavors on LENR for its realization and harnessing its great benefits. Moreover, it is important to work on mitigating its secondary effects since LENR is expected to evolve into disruptive technology. Author has concluded that due to the recent updates, the support for LENR developments and prepara-

nuclear fission reactions and their utilization in modern nuclear reactors.

2 New Trends in Nuclear Science

enable developers to utilize nuclear technology in safe and practical ways [2, 3].

likely be masked by the acute radiation damage on the subjected environment [4].

tions to mitigate its anticipated adverse secondary impacts is largely needed [5, 6].

Salem A. AlFaify<sup>1</sup> \* and Nasser S. Awwad<sup>2</sup>

\*Address all correspondence to: saalfaify@kku.edu.sa

1 Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia

2 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
